I Married a Photograph. Then I Met My Husband For the First Time

In this personal essay for *Newsweek*, Kiyomi Hawley recounts her experience growing up within the Unification Church and the traumatic reality of participating in one of the organization’s infamous mass weddings. Raised in the church, Hawley accepted the requirement to marry a stranger arranged by the faith, eventually finding herself standing in Madison Square Garden at age 20, holding a photograph of a man she had never met because he could not attend the ceremony.

The reality of the union proved devastating. Upon traveling to South Korea to meet her "husband," Hawley felt no physical attraction or emotional connection. Despite her deep-seated fear that leaving the church would mean losing her family and her community, the pressure of the artificial marriage—which included her husband threatening suicide when she tried to end the union—led her into a cycle of depression and despair.

Ultimately, Hawley chose to prioritize her own well-being over the church's dictates. By breaking the "blessing" and leaving the organization, she faced the terrifying possibility of being cast out by her family, though they ultimately supported her pursuit of happiness. Years later, having left the church and focused on her passion for music, Hawley found genuine love on her own terms. 

https://www.newsweek.com/married-a-photograph-moonies-wedding-unification-church-12061734